The present invention pertains to communication systems and more particularly to Real-time screening of voice mail messages in such communication systems.
Although a communication system is in the midst of taking a voice mail message from a calling subscriber to a called subscriber, it may be advantageous to the called subscriber to listen to the beginning of this message to be better able to identify the caller in a real-time manner. This is commonly referred to as call screening.
In a wire line communication system, call screening may be achieved by answering machines, for example. The called party may listen to the calling party's voice as the calling party leaves a message on an answering machine connected to the called subscriber's wireline phone line. The called party has at all times the option of picking up (going off hook) and immediately connecting to the calling party. This may be dictated by the identity of the calling party or some particularly urgent message that the calling party is leaving for the called party.
Today, voice mail systems in wireless communication systems typically route a message to a voice mail system which is connected to a mobile switching center of the wireless communication system. Once an incoming call is rerouted from the called subscriber to the voice mail system of the mobile switching center, the subscriber can no longer listen to the voice mail message. Further, the called party may not be able to identify the calling party who is leaving the message until the message has been completed. The called party may then retrieve any stored messages. Typically this takes several minutes for saving of messages to occur and notification to the called subscriber that a voice mail message has been recorded. Furthermore the calling party will have disconnected by then. The called party cannot reenter the active call to a voicemail system once the message deposit process has begun. In wireless communication systems, “caller ID” is not always available and is not always useful in screening calls. This lack of usefulness manifests itself when it is the importance of the message itself and not the identification of the caller that is sought.
A similar situation can occur in wireline networks where the called subscriber may utilize the centralized voicemail services of their carrier rather than the traditional desktop answering machine.
Accordingly it would be highly desirable to have a method for a called party to hear the voice mail message in any communication system and for the called party to connect to the calling party in a real-time manner.